The Donegal-based CEO of Inland Fisheries Ireland is to appear before the Public Accounts Committee today.
Francis O’Donnell will appear as Committee of Public Accounts (PAC) examine the 2021 Financial Statements of Inland Fisheries Ireland.
Mr O’Donnell, who was born in Carrick but now lives in Ardara, was appointed to one of the most senior fisheries positions in the country in September, 2020.
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is a statutory body operating under the aegis of the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) and was established under the Fisheries Act on 1st July 2010.
Its principal function is the protection and conservation of the inland fisheries resource.
Today’s meeting of PAC will be held to specifically examine the accounts of Inland Fisheries Ireland in 2021.
The meeting at 9.30am will be joined by officials from the Comptroller and Auditor General, Seamus McCarthy, and representatives from Inland Fisheries Ireland led by the CEO, Mr O’Donnell, who is the Accounting Officer and is accountable to the Committee of Public Accounts. Officials from the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications will also be in attendance.
During the afternoon session, beginning at 1.30pm, the Committee will consider the minutes of recent meetings, correspondence and other business of the Committee.
PAC Cathaoirleach Deputy Brian Stanley said: “Inland Fisheries Ireland is the state agency responsible for fisheries management of freshwater fish and coastal fish within 12 nautical miles of the shore. IFI is responsible for the protection, management, and conservation of Ireland’s inland fisheries and sea angling resources.
“The Board of IFI consists of 10 members – the Chairperson, seven non-executive Members, an elected employee, and the CEO, as an ex-officio member. There were three resignations from the Board in 2022 and two in January 2023. Under the Inland Fisheries Act 2010, the Minister for the Environment, Climate & Communications removed the remaining members of the Board on a ‘no fault’ basis in February 2023 and appointed two persons to perform the functions of IFI Board for a period of up to six months, pending the reconstitution of the Board.
“IFI made an overall deficit for 2021 of over €5m compared to a surplus of €3.4m in 2020. In 2021 its income amounted to nearly €32m, a decrease of nearly €5.1m which was predominately due to the reduction of €5.8m in funding it received from the Department of the Environment, Climate & Communication when compared to 2020.
The majority of IFI’s grant funding (€24.4m) is derived from the Inland Fisheries of Vote 29 – Environment, Climate & Communications. It’s other source of income amounted to €4.3m in 2021, generated from various strands of its business, such as contract work, licence and permit income, and Salmon Conservation Funding. Its expenditure for the same period increased to €36.8m in 2021. The main element of this €2.9m increase is related to ‘staff costs’ for both its administrative and operations functions.
“Areas of interest for the Committee raised in the 2021 IFI financial statements include internal issues between the board and executive, the governance of dormant accounts funding and the refund by IFI of €30,000, the management of Aasleagh Lodge and Cottages in Co Galway, the ongoing investigation by An Garda Síochána into matters uncovered at IFI, the Senior Counsel review of IFI Board, issues around uninsured vehicles and fleet management, the use of agency staff and legal costs. The Committee looks forward to examining these and related matters with Mr O’Donnell and his colleagues.”
The meeting in Committee Room 3 can be viewed live on Oireachtas TV.
PAC is a standing committee of Dáil Éireann which focuses on ensuring public services are run efficiently and achieve value for money. Further information on the role and remit of the Committee can be found here.
